Corset



(ModeL) H. M. 0. NICHOLS.

Corset.

No. 237,307. Patented Feb. 1,188l.

1 VENTU- WITNESSES.-

. V I L 4% A '1 "T ORNE KS:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

H. M. CHAPMAN NICHOLS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,307, dated February 1, 1881.

Application filed March 1, 1880. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRIET M. CHAPMAN NICHOLS, ;of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled. in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a {perspective view of one side or part of a corset with my improvements applied thereto; and Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sectional detail perspectives of modified constructions of the stay or brace pieces.

My invention has for its object to provide means whereby, first, a corset may be prevented from giving way or breaking down at the upper edge of the sides, or at or about the armpits, such means serving, also, to maintain the due projection of the bust or puff, and preventing the latter from working or sinking back from the front toward the sides or beneath the arms; second, the waist of the corset may be defined so as to secure a good fit and symmetrical outline, such means serving, also, to prevent the material of the corset from corrugatin g or becoming ribbed when tightly laced, and to' prevent the side stays from breaking.

My improvements consist, accordingly, of diagonal stays or braces of peculiar construction, extending from the sides of the corset forwardly and downwardly to or into the puff or bust portions.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one-half of a corset with my improvements applied, B B are side stays, which terminate some distance-in practice say about two inches-below the top edge, a, of the corset.

O G 0 represent several pockets formed by diagonal rows of stitching c c 0, extending from the sides forwardly and downwardly, as shown, to and, by preference, into the puff or bust D. In these pockets are inserted alternate cords and light steels or bones, as this construction gives flexibility of motion, and at the same time has sufficientlongitudinal rigidity or bracing capability.

E E E represent other pockets formed in the sides of the corset, at or about that portion which rests upon the hips, said pockets being produced by diagonal lines of stitching e c 6, extending from the side stay, 13, across the stay B, to or about the bust or puff stayD. In thesepockets are cordsp c. This cording is located, as shown, at. the waist of the corset, serving, therefore, to define this part of the apparel, so that when a would-be wearer tries on a corset she can determine whether or not it will fit by seeing if such cording coincide, as it should to make a fit, with her own natural waist. When the corset is properly fitted on the wearer such cording will prevent the lateral corrugatin g of the fabric produced by tight lacing in corsets unprovided with such cording, such corrugations producing cutting of the fabric and discomfort to the wearer. It also serves to re-enforce the side stays, and prevents their breaking,'forming, also, a cushion over the hips of the wearer, and preventing the impingement of the rigid stays on the person.

The provision of the upper stays prevents the corset from breaking down under the arms of the wearer, and keeps the puff or bust duly projected in front, preventing said puff or bust from working back or sagging under the arms. The hip-cording not only strengthens the side and prevents the side stays from breaking, but also serves to render the corset more easy to wear by alleviating the rigid bearing on the hips.

l have described the pockets G O and E E as being diagonal and inclining downwardly to the front, and this arrangement I prefer; but aslight shade of variation therefrom, as by making the same horizontal or incliningin the reverse direction from that shown and specified, would be manifestly within the spirit of my invention and included thereby.

1 am aware that in the patent of Ira De Ver Warner, dated December 4, 1877, No. 197,913, ribs are described which fit in pockets extending from the waist down to the bottom of the corset. Such ribs are wholly different from my cording, as they do not define the waist by being limited to that portion of the corset, as my cording is. Said ribs are rigid, while my cording is flexible or pliant, and they are not in any sense a cushion, as my cording is.

Hence, as the ribs shown in said patent are essentially different from my cording in character, location, and effect, I do not claim the former, but limit my claim in this connection to 5 the latter.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The armpit-stay pockets 0 O 0, having a series of steels or bones alternated with cords,

substantially as shown and described, and for 10 the purpose set forth. 

